Ken,
I can tell you I also enjoyed in the past darkroom color printing but
today its like trying to swim in a river against the main stream¡¡ I
can tell you some of inmediate problems I would have.
-My enlarger is a 6x6 cm but now I want to use 4x5" film This means I
have to buy a second hand enlarger Although I can find very cheap ones
in USA I have to pay more than $350 for transport to my country Spain
+ $500 for enlarger
-In my country it is only available Endura color paper with 85m rolls.
No boxes of Kodak cut papers available nor Fuji. I talked with Kodak
branch in my country
and they suggested their color paper will not be available very soon¡¡
In front of these difficulties comon sense tells me I must go to
digital in spite of my natural tendency¡¡¡
Greetings
-Francesc


Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I enjoy 'wet' darkroom work in color.
But then I have a roller transport processing system that maintains chemical
temperature and replenishment. Such machines are available in all sizes and
configurations, from tabletop to full-fledged minilabs (mine is an old Hope
built in 1984). As for sharpness, that's a function of the lenses used
(camera and enlarger); and for image permanence, Kodak rate their Endura
line of papers at 200 years in the dark or 100 years in the light.

The first thing to remember in color printing is get the density
(light/dark) right, then adjust the color. Never try to make a color
judgement on a priont that is too light or too dark. The second thing to
remember is to write stuff down. Use a "sharpie" brand marker (or similar
waterproof/permanent marker) to write your color filter settings on the test
print. If the second test print looks worse, then you can easily go back to
the earlier settings.

For me, the cost of making one 16"x20" print is about $2.00 (2- 1/4 sheet
test prints and 1 full sheet, plus chems) and the time is about a half hour
(dry-to-dry time is ten minutes, times three prints).